What was happening in Luton?

This page contains a list of events that occured in Luton and surroundings 1914-1919, as well as global events that affected Luton's people.
When you add an ancestor to this site, it is always a good idea to try and connect them to an 'event' that happened in their life. E.g. if they fought at the Battle of the Somme, then you can make this connection on the 'Add Person' form.

A strike by engineers engaged in the munitions industry that had begun in Rochdale, Yorkshire, and spread to other parts of the country, had reached Luton by May 1917, leading to a flashpoint involving soldiers at the Labour Club in Bute Street on Friday, May 11th.

At the outbreak of war in 1914 Britain still relied on volunteers to serve in the armed forces. But there were others prepared to do their bit at home as a civilian army in the event of an enemy invasion.

In order to elicit the sympathies of the boys at the Old Bedford-road Boys’ School, the teachers are stimulating interest in the local hospital at Wardown by egg collecting. It is surprising what can be effected in this way, and some beneficial assistance given.

What the Luton News hailed as one of the most interesting of Society events took place on July 20th, 1917, with the wedding of Major Harold Augustus Wernher, second son of the late Sir Julius Wernher and Lady Wernher, of Luton Hoo, and Countess Anastasia (Zia) de Torby, elder daughter of the Gran

There was a good muster of Biscot boys on Friday evening at a concert given on the ground adjoining the Church Army Hut in Dunstable-road, when Mr. John Gates presided. Mr. W. R. Phillips, J. P.. lent a party of men to erect a, substantial platform, and the arrangements were capably carried out.

On Saturday afternoon, forty patients from the F.M.S. Military Hospital. Blackmore End. Wheathampstead, and ten patients from Wardown V.A.D. Hospital, were entertained in the large mess-room at Messrs. G. Kent's. Ltd., by the girls of No. 121 Fuse Department.

This Saturday afternoon an interesting boxing tournament took place on the Luton F.C. ground, when a military boxing tournament was organised by the Number 6 Reserve Brigade Royal Field Artillery (R.F.A.) in aid of local charities.

When Elsie Annie Reid married Gunner James Arthur Bint at the Baptist's Union Chapel in Luton on the 8th of September 1917 she was then employed as a munitions worker. Her father's occupation was recorded as a postman and her father-in-law, James Frederick Bint, a smallholder.

The 1918 Flu Pandemic, often know as the Spanish Flu, was an unusually deadly influenza pandemic that swept the world between January 1918 and December 1920. This was the first of the two known pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus (the second being the 2009 flu pandemic).

Col. Alexander’s Farewell.

The Y.M C.A. hut at Biscot was crowded on Tuesday night, when a farewell concert was given to Col. C. H. and Mrs. Alexander. Col. Alexander has been appointed to a still more important command of the Royal Artillery.

Tanks, the new weapons of war, became new weapons in funding Britain's war effort in the latter stages of the Great War. "Tank Banks" toured towns and cities to persuade residents to do their duty and buy War Savings Certificates or National War Bonds.

November 11th, 1918 – Armistice Day. And, by coincidence, Luton was able to celebrate with the opening night of what was claimed to be the finest variety bill that the Palace Theatre had ever presented – featuring the legendary music hall star Marie Lloyd.

At 11 o'clock on the morning of Monday, November 11 – the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 – four years, three months and a week of bloody conflict came to an end in the war that it was hoped would end all wars.

The century-old Luton timber firm of Henry Brown & Sons returned to private ownership on March 22nd, 1919, after the business had been commandeered by the Ministry of Munitions during the war. The Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph (March 15th) reported: